Influences: Mike Schommer

 
Music

The silence was deafening in the absence of Mike Schommer, the Deepchord co-founder who has just announced a return to music following a fifteen year hiatus. This month marks the release of his first solo music since "dc15" back in 2002. The significant producer is set to release a new EP on Steve O’Sullivan’s Mosaic Records. The EP is a delicate assortment of atmospheric dub, techno and woozy soundscapes in a trademark style which has been much missed. 

We invited Mike Schommer to contribute to our influences series and he does so with impeccable taste nominating tracks from My Bloody Valentine, Chris & Cosey and more. 

See below: 


Buy the release HERE

Hunting Lodge - Carnivora!

At the musically impressionable age of 13, I discovered Hunting Lodge, a local Industrial outfit from Port Huron Michigan. I was impressed that a few local guys could come together, produce amazing industrial music and actually get a record deal. With the money I made from my summertime job, I picked up a copy of ‘Carnivora!’ at the local record store. I used to carry around a boombox with me while I cut lawns in the neighborhood (had to crank it up super loud). The entire neighbourhood got an earful of Hunting Lodge that summer!

  • Hunting Lodge - Carnivora!

    At the musically impressionable age of 13, I discovered Hunting Lodge, a local Industrial outfit from Port Huron Michigan. I was impressed that a few local guys could come together, produce amazing industrial music and actually get a record deal. With the money I made from my summertime job, I picked up a copy of ‘Carnivora!’ at the local record store. I used to carry around a boombox with me while I cut lawns in the neighborhood (had to crank it up super loud). The entire neighbourhood got an earful of Hunting Lodge that summer!

  • My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow (Official Music Video)

    When ‘Loveless’ was released, I wasn’t quite old enough to get into St. Andrew’s Hall when My Bloody Valentine came to Detroit, so an older friend helped me snag a fake ID. We skipped school and spent the entire day roaming around the city until showtime. During the show (my first concert experience), I remember questioning… “How in the world is this massive wall of beautiful sound coming out of a guitar?”

  • Chris & Cosey - Synaesthesia

    During my Punk Rock/Industrial days I would often take the train to Chicago to visit my sister. Every trip required a mandatory visit to Wax Trax! of course. On a whim one trip, I purchased Chris and Cosey’s ‘Pagan Tango’. I was so enthralled with ‘Synaesthesia’, that I listened to it over and over the entire train ride home. This release open my ears up to other genres of electronic music and it was at this point I said, “Goodbye guitar! Hello, Keyboard!”

  • Angelo Badalamenti Explains How He Wrote "Laura Palmer's Theme"

    Half of Twin Peaks is Angelo Badalamenti in my opinion, and there is nothing more moving than his work with the Rhodes and Emulator II. His somber chord progressions and melodies are unsettling in the most delightful way. I almost had an emotional breakdown the first time I saw this documentary where Angelo describes the creation of ‘Laura’s Song’. I can see it, Angelo! I can see it!

  • Waveform Transmission - Track 1

    I was recording in a local studio owned by Chris Troy when he and Rod Modell released Waveform Transmission on Silent Records. They invited me to their CD release party and when arriving, sounds of shortwave radios, groaning modular synthesizers and long ominous drones were permeating everywhere! So impressed, I needed to pick Rod’s brain more about this amazing “music?”. As a result, Rod and I developed a great friendship that eventually led to the formation of Deepchord Records… and for that reason, Waveform Transmission has been the most influential music release to me of all time.

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